Controlling the shearing of moving material



March 22, 1932. J, w. SHEPERDSON 1,850,519

CONTROLLING THE SHEARING 0F MOVING MATERIAL Filed Dec s, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 1 March. 22, 1932. J. w. SHEPERDSON CONTROLLING THE SHEARING OF MOVING MATERIAL Filed Dec. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ra e Jkz

March 22, 1932. J w, SHEPERbSQN 1,850,519

CONTROLLING THE SHEARING OF MOVING MATERIAL Filed Dec. 3, 1928 3 SheetsSheet 5 ,frf a.

v inaz-rzzors (J /m W .ffieperdson.

Patented Mar, 22, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN W. SHEPERDSON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MORGAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS CONTROLLING THE SHEARING OF MOVING MATERIA Application filed December 3, 1928. Serial No. 323,532.

This invention relates to the shearing of moving material, such for example as the elongated rolled product of a steel mill or the like. which requires to be cut up into commercial lengths as fast as it is delivered from the finishing rolls of the mill.

Cutting devices which perform their operations while moving in unison with such material, so as not to impede the latters rapid and continuous delivery, are sometimes called flying shears. This invention provides automatic control mechanism for a flying shear, by means of which. in the absence of any attention whatsoever from an operator, the shear will function identically on successively-arriving pieces of the moving material, to first crop their front ends and then to cut them up into equal predetermined lengths.

According to the invention, the engagement of a flag or trigger by the front end of each piece of moving stock sets in operation the control mechanism for producing the shears initial crop cutand subsequent dividing cuts on that particular piece of stock, provision being made for the control mechanism to automatically reset itself in the intervals between the successively-arriving pieces, so that the cropping and dividing cuts of the shear will be performed identically on every piece of the moving material.

An important feature of the invention resides in the fact that the control mechanism when function ng is always driven in exact step with the moving stock, through the medium of a measuring roller which derives its rotation from frictional contact with the moving stock. Furthermore, in theabsence of the stocks engagement with the measuring roller. the latter and also the driving devices of the control mechanism are maintained in operation at a speed approximating that of the stock, so that the moving stock,

when it arrives in driving position. is not obliged to start the control mechanism from' a condition of rest. The above and other advantageous features of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view, in part diagrammatic,

showing my invention in connection withthe finfishing rolls and roller tableof ajrolling m1 Fig. 2 is a larger scale plan View, partly in section, of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 1 and particularly illustrating the drive for the measuring roller.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of-the arrows. J Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. is a vertical section of the controlmechanism, together with a diagram showing the electrical connections of the apparatus controlled thereby,

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on the 1 line 6-6 of Fig. 5, looking inthe direction of the arrows.

D Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional View on-the line 7-7 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

V Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig 5, showing the parts in position for operating the shear. i i i Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic View showing a modified arrangement for varying the speed of the controlled mechanism relative to the speed of themeasuring roller.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the finishing rolls 1 of a rolling mill are shown as delivering the rolled stock to a series of conveyor rollers 2, 2, constituting a roller table. The rollers 2, 2

convey the stock to a flying shear 3 which is arranged to operate on the stock while same is in-motion, the severed pieces being conveyed away from the shear 3 by a second series of conveyor rollers 4, 4. A measuring roller 5 is mounted above one of the conveyor rollers 2 in advance of the shear 3 and this measuring roller 5 drives the control mechanism 6 through a suitable train of intermediate mechanism as hereinafter described. Each operation of shear 3 is inaugurated by a sole- 7 noid 7 under the electrical influence of control mechanism 6, the latter and also the drive for the measuring roller being set in operation by suitably mounted movable trigger or' flag 8. The flag 8 is disposed between a pair of conveyor rollers 2, in advance of the measuring roller 5, in such a position asto be de- 1 pressed by movement of the rolled product over the conveyor rollers 2 toward the measuringroller rand theshear 3.. p

As best shown in Figs 2; 3 and 4, the measuring roller 5 is mounted on ashaft 9, the

ends of which are supported bythe arms w of a bracket 10 pivota lymounted on a countershaft 11 that i journalled in suitable bearings 12. The'countershaft 11 carries a gear v p "13 beyond one of the bearings 12, which gear 13 is in mesh with a gear'14 carried by anextension of the measuring roller shaft 9. The other end of the countershaft 11 carries a'cone pulley 15 that is connected by a 'shiftable belt .16 to a second cone pulley 17 mounted on a i shaft 18 extending into the housing'of the proportional to the delivery speed of the' a 8 stock' being. conveyed on the rollers 2. The pivotal mounting provided by shaft 11 for the roller 5permits said-roller 5 to accommodate itself to different thicknesses of stock.

I stock beneath? same, is adapted to be driven at a peripheral speed approximately that of the delivery speed of the finishing" rolls-1 by means of a gear 19- carriedby a clutch sleeve 20 rotatably mounted on the counter-.

shaft 11 adjacent to the gear 13 which is fast thereon. Asshown in Fig. 3 the gear 19 is in mesh with a gear 21 carried by a shaft 22.

rotatably supported below the countershaft 11. The other .end of the shaft 22 carries 1 I a bevel gear 23 in mesh-with a bevel gear 24 mounted on theside shaft 25 from which all of theconveyor rollers 2 and 4 are driven through gearing 26.- The side shaft 25 is driven from the'finishing roll drive through gears-27 so that the loose gear 19 on the shaft 11 rotates continuously in synchronism with the conveyor rollers 2.

The countershaft 11 carries a magneticclutch member 28 consisting of a housing of magnetic material containing a winding I 29 which,'in the'absence of-stock beneath the roller, 5,is energized by current supplied by brushes 30 in engagement with collector rings 31 carried by the" endof the member 28. .In the energized condition of winding 29, the magnetic clutch member 28. attracts the clutch sleeve 20 carrying the gear 19, therei by establishing a driving'connection between the gear 19 and the countershaft 11. Under these conditions, both the measuring roller 5 and thedrive shaft 18 of control mechanism 6 will be driven in synchronism with the finishing rolls 1, so as to approximate the speed of any stock issuing from said rolls One of the brushes 30, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, is connected to one side of a source of electric current supply 32, while the other brush 30 is connected to a stationary contact member 33 adapted to be engaged by a switch arm 34 carried by and movable with the flag 8, when the latter is not engaged by stock approaches the shear 3 over the rollers 2, the flag 8 is engaged and moved,.as indicated in Fig. 8, to carry .the arm 34' out of engagement with the contact '33, so that the clutch winding 29 in member 28 is 'deener gized. .When this occurs, the. measuring roller 5'ceases to derive rotation from the finishing rolls-1 through the side shaft 25, but before themeasuring roller 5 has a chance to slow down appreciably, the stock engages its 4 surface, and drives it at a peripheral speed The measuring roller 5, in the'absence' of are the bearings 37 for a shaft 36. The shaft 18 extends within the housing and carries a gear 38 in mesh with a larger gear 39 carried by the shaft 36. The housing 35 also provides bearings 41 for a second or measuring shaft 40, in axial alinement with the shaft 36. A magnetic clutching member 42 is carried by one end of the, shaft 36 and provides a winding 43 adapted to be energized from brushes 44 in engagement with collector rings 45 carried by the shaft 36. l

The measuring shaft-40 carries at one end a clutching member 46 opposed to the clutching member 42, the clutching member 46'providing a'magnetic ring 47 secured to the periphery of a flexible disk 48, so that the ring 47 may bedrawn' into engagement with the face of the clutching member 42 on the shaft 36 when the winding 43 is energized. Under the conditions shown in Fig. 5, with the flag 8 unengaged by the stock, the clutch winding 43 remains deenergized, so that the rotation of the shaft 36 (as derived from the mill rolls 1) is not imparted to the measuring shaft 40, which at that time is positively held against rotation, by separate means now to be described.

As a means to hold the shaft 40 stationary, when no stock is passing by the measuring roll, I mount on said shaft an electro magnetic clutch member 49. This clutch member 49 provides a winding 50 adapted to be supplied with current through brushes 51 in engagement with collector rings 52 mounted on the shaft 40. A flexible clutch member 53 is carried by a stationary bracket 54 and provides a magnetic ring 55 adapted to be attracted by the clutch member 49 to lock the measuring shaft 40 against rotation when the Winding 50 is ener ized.

One brush 51 whic supplies current to one of the rings 52 for the winding 50 is permanently connected to one side of the electrical supply 32 through a conductor 56 which also serves to supply current of the same polarity to a number of other devices, as will hereinafter appear. The other brush 51 is connected to a stationary contact 57 of a contactor device generally indicated by the reference numeral 58, which contactor 58 also provides a pivoted contact arm 59 movable between the stationary contact 57 and a second stationary contact 60. The contactor 58 further provides a winding 61 which when energized isiadaptedto maintain the movable arm 59 in engagement with the contact 57 against the pull of a spring 62 which tends to move the arm 59 into engagement with the other stationary contact 60. The contactor arm 59 is permanently connected by a conductor 63 to the opposite side of the electrical supply 32, so that with the winding 61 energized, as hereinafter described, and as shown in Fig. 5, the circuit of the clutch winding 50 is maintained through the closed contacts 59 and 57, thereby positively locking the measuring shaft 40 against rotation.

The contactor winding 61 is connected to one side of the supply 32, in parallel with arm 59, through the conductor 63, while the other end thereof is connected to one of a pair of brushes 64 supported in spaced relation by a stationary arm 65 extending upwardly from the bottom of the housing as shown in Fig. 6. The spaced brushes 64 are disposed in the path of movement of a conducting segment 66 carried by a disk 67 mounted to turn with the measuring shaft 40, the conducting segment 66 being insulated from said disk. In the position of parts shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the segment 66 bridges the gap between the brushes 64, thereby establishing the circuit of the contactor winding 61 through the brushes 64 and through a stationary contact member 68 also adapted to be'engaged by the flag operated switch arm 34 when the flag 8 is unengaged by the stock. As previously pointed out the flag switch arm 34 is connected to one side of the supply 32 through the common conductor 56, so that with the flag 8 unengaged and with the brushes 64 bridged by the segment 66, the contactor winding 61 is maintained in an energized condition and the measuring shaft 40 is locked against rotation by the engaged magnetic clutching members 49 and 53.

The three circuits that are maintained closed when the flag 8 is unengaged are shown by arrows in Fig.5; one circuit being through the flag arm 34 and contact 33 to energize the clutch member 28; a second cir-.' cuit being through flag arm 34, brushes 64 and contacts 66 and 68 to energize the coil 61 of the contactor 58; and a third circuit being through the contactorarm 59 and con tact 57 to energize clutch member 49 and lock the measuring shaft 40 against rotation.

Passage of stock toward the shear 3 depresses the flag 8, thereby breaking the circuit between the contact arm 34 and the stationary contacts 33 and 68. See Fig. 8. As

previously pointed out, breaking of the circuit between the arm 34'and contact 33 unclutches the shaft 11 from the side shaft 25, whereby the drive of the measuring roller 5 and of the shaft 36 is transferred to the moving stock; at the same time separation'of the arm 34 from the contact 68 serves to release the magnetic clutch 49, 53 that holds the measuring shaft 40 against rotation, through deenergizing the contactor winding 61. When the winding 61 is so deenergized, the spring 62 acting on the contactor arm- 59 moves the arm 59 into-engagement with the other stationary contact 60' as shown in Fig. 8. Thus a circuit is established, and current flows through the contact 60 to one of the brushes 44 of the clutch winding 43 and since the other brush 44 is permanently connected to the other side of'the electrical supply32 through the common conductor 56, the resulting energization of the winding 43 clutches the measuring shaft 40 to the shaft 36. Since the moving stock engages the meas-- uring roller'5 almost immediately after de-- pressing the flag 8, the measuring shaft 40 will always be rotated at a speed exactly proportional to thedelivery speed. of the stock as soon as the driving connection established betweenthe"measuring shaft 40 and the measuring roller 5 through energization of the clutch winding 43.

Secured to shaft 40 is a second disk 69, and when said shaft starts, as above described, to rotate in step with the advancing material, from the rest position of Fig. 6, a

relatively small angular movement carries a conducting segment 70, on disk 69, into engagement with a pair of spaced brushes 71.

' equal lengths from the piece of stock, as long net of these brushes 71 is permanently connected to one side of the electrical supply 32 through the common conductor 56, while the other brush 71 is connected to the winding of the shear control solenoid 7, the other end of the solenoid winding being permanently connected to the opposite side of the source 32 through a branch 63a of the conductor 63. This small angular movement of the measuring shaft 40 represents the projection ofa short length of the forward end of a piece of stock beyond the shear 3, so that this initial energization of the solenoid 7 causes an operas the latter continues to keep the flag 8 depressed.

For purposes of illustration, the present invention is employed in connection with the operation of a shear of the type shown in Patent No. 1,521,514 issued/December 30, 1924 .to Edwards and enough of this shear mechanism is shown in Figs. 5 and 8 to make 1 clear the functioning of the solenoid 7 in controlling this particular type of shear; al-

' thoug'h, it is apparent that other types of shears might as well be controlled by the solenoid 7. As shown, the shear 3 consists of a swlngin frame 72 pivoted at 73, the frame providing an opening or mouth 74 for receiving the moving material between cooperating lower and upper blades 75 and 76: In 'the operation of this type of shear the frame 72 is adapted to be thrown in the direction of movement of the stock by means of a rod 77 operated by a piston in acylinder 78, pivotal movement of the frame causing the'slidable upper blade'76 to descend, and out the stock at each operation. The cylinder'78 is provided with an operating valve 79, having a lever 80 to which is connected a plunger 81 under the influence of the shear solenoid 7, so that each energization of the flatter causes the shear to make a cut. If

--desired, the valve lever 80 may also be manually operated by means of a handle 82, and

. amormally open knife switch 83 is also provlded for energizing the solenoid 7 independently of the control disk 69. For this purpose, the switch 83 is adapted to connect one terminal of the solenoid 7 to the common line'conductor 56 through a branch 560 thereby short circuiting the brushes 71 which normally control the energization of the solenoid 7 As best shown in Fig. 6, in order to vary the length of the crop end that is cut from the movin piece of stock after-it enters between the blades of the shear 3, the brushes 71 are mounted on an angularly adjustable arm 84, providing a handle portion 85 extending through a slot'86 provided in the top of the housing 35. As-shown in Fig. 7 the brush arm 84 provides a split hub 87 embracing a sleeve 88 projecting from the hearing 41 adjacent to the control .disk 69, so that the arm 84 is adapted to turn about the axis of the measuring shaft 40. The two halves of the hub 87 are joined by bolts 89 and springs 90 surrounding the lower portions of the bolts 89 which arrangement serves .to frictionally hold the lower half of the hub 87 in engagement withthe bearing sleeve 88. This frictional engagement is suflicient to maintain the arm in any angular position in which it may be turned on the axis of the measuring shaft 40. It is obvious from- Fig. 6 that increasing the angular displacement between. the brushes 71 and the segment will increase the length of the front crop,-

and vice versa.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that as a given piece of stock continues to pass over the conveyor rollers 2, holding down the flag 8, it will be automatically divided into equal lengths following the severance of a front crop of predetermined length, and during these operations the measuring shaft 40 will be driven by the measuring roller 5 at a peripheral speed exactly proportional to the delivery speed of the stock. Variation of the lengths into which the stock is divided can be obtained by shifting the belt 16 on the pulleys 15 and 17 to vary the speed relation between the shaft 11 and the. shaft 18 which enters the housing 35 of the measuring device. Due to the fact that the gear 39 is larger than the driving gear 38 on the shaft 18, there is always a fixed relation between the peripheral s eed of the shaft 18 and the measuring sha t 40 which would result in any bar being cut into two or more b'illets, depending upon the ratio between the gears 38 and 39,,so that stepping down the speed of the shaft 18 with respect to the shaft 11 by means of the belt 16 would result in a given bar being cut into fewer billets of greater length. Conversely, stepping up the speed of the shaft 18 would result in more cuts per bar into billets of less length.

Variations of the lengths may also be obtained by the arrangement shown in Fig. 10. In this arrangement, the shaft 11, driven by measuring roller 5, carries the armature of an electrical generator 91, the voltage of which may be controlled by means of a suitable rheost at 92. The generator 91 is adapted to supply current to a motor 93, the

armature of which is mounted on the shaft 18 which drives the control mechanism 6. The speed of the motor 93 is adapted to be controlled by means of a suitable rheostat 94, so that the speed relation between the shaft 18 and the shaft 11 can be readily varied over a. wide range. However for any fixed setting of the generator voltage and motor speed, the

fundamental principle underlying the shear control remains the same, namely that the peripheral speed of the measuring shaft 40 is always exactly proportional to the delivery speed of the stock driving the measuring roller 5.

When the last end of a given piece of stock passing into the shear 3 has released the depressed flag 8, the contact arm 34 carried by the trigger again engages the stationary contacts 33 and 68. When this occurs, the clutch winding 29 on the shaft 11 is again energized, thereby causing the shaft 11 to be positively driven from the side shaft in unison with the rollers 2. Thus there is no appreciable falling off in the speed of the measuring roller 5, notwithstanding discontinuance of its drive by the stock, and the measuring shaft continues to rotate with the shaft 36 until the shaft 40 is brought to rest by en gagement of the contact segment 66 on the disk 67 with the fingers 64 which control the energization of the-contactor winding 61.

Assuming for purposes of illustration, that the tail end of the piece of stock releases the flag 8 when the segment 66 is still separated from the brushes 64 by an appreciable angle,- the engagement of the trigger control switch Y arm 34 with the ,contact 68 prepares the way for energizing the contactor winding 61 by connecting one of the brushes 64 to one side of the electrical supply 32 through the common conductor 56. As previously pointed out, one terminal of the winding 61 is permanently connected to the other side of the source 32 through the conductor 68, so that all that is necessary to complete the circuit of the winding 61 is bridging of the brushes 64 by the segment 66. Therefore, when further movement'of the disk 67 causes the segment 66 to bridge the brushes 64, the resultant closing of the contactor 58 energizes the clutch winding 50 and immediately brings the measuring shaft 40 to rest with the segment 66 in bridging relation with the brushes 64. Just prior to this the shaft 40 is unclutched from the shaft 36 through the deenergization of the clutch windin 43 when the contactor arm 59 y leaves thestatwna-ry contact 60 in moving to the contact 57. Therefore, the control mechanism always comes to rest in the same angular position following the release of the flag 8by the tail end of a piece of stock, and

regardless of the length of the remainder left after the last dividing cut taken by the shear. Therefore when the next piece of stock advancing over the rollers 2 depresses the flag 8, a second cycle of shearing operations is inaugurated, to first crop, and then to di vide the piece into equal lengths. In the interval between the release-of the flag 8 by the tail end of one piece and the depression of the flag 8 by the advancing end of the next piece, the measuring roller 5 and the shaft 11 continue to rotate at a peripheral speed approximately that of the conveyor rollers, so that there is no appreciable falling off in the speed of the measuring roller in the intervals between the engagement of successive pieces with the roller 5. This is important, because it eliminates inertia of the roller 5, and insures against slippage between said roller and the moving stock. At the same time, the functioning of the apparatus insures that during the intervals in which the measuring roller 5 is positively driven from the side shaft 25, there will be no rotation of the measuring shaft 40, the locking of the shaft 40 being effected coincidently with the clutching of the shaft 11 to the constantly driven gear 19; thus the rotation of the measuring shaft 40 isalways exactly proportional to the deliveryspeed of the stock while the shear is functioning.

I claim,

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a shear for operation on successively-arriving elongated pieces of moving material, of shear-control mechanism for producing an initial crop cut and oneor more subsequent dividing cuts of said shear on each piece, means for arresting said control mechanism in a given angular position following the last divlding cut taken by said shear on any piece, a rotary driving element for said control mechanism, and means responsive to the arrival of a piece of'material at a predetermined point for establishing the drive of said element by said material and the drive of said control mechanism by said element.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a shear for operation on successively-arriving pieces of moving material, of shear control mechanism, set in operation by the arrival of each piece at a predetermined point for procurmg an initial front crop cut and one or more subsequent dividing cuts of said shear on each piece, a constantly-rotating driving element for said control mechanism, means for transferring the drive of said element to the piece of material when the latter reaches said predetermined point, and means for simultaneously establishing the drive of said control mechanism by said element.

3. In apparatus ofthe class described, the combination with a shear for operation on successively-arriving pieces of moving material, of shear control mechanism set in operation by the arrival of each iece at a predetermined point for procuring an initial front crop cut and one or more subsequent dividing cuts of said shear on each plece, a

rotary driving member for said control mechnism, means for transferring the drive of said member to the-moving plece of stock 7 when the latter reaches said predetermined ber upon the passage of said piece yond said predetermined point.

'4. In apparatus-of the class described, the

' combination with a. shear for operation 'on successively-arriving elongated pieces of moving material, 0 c procuring an initial crop cut and one or more subsequent dividing cuts of said shear on each piece, a constantly rotating driving element for said control mechanism, means for procuring the drive of said element by contact therewith of the moving material,

and means for connecting said control mechanism with said element, only when the latter is so driven.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination'with a shear for opera'tionon successively-arriving elongated pieces of moving material, of shear control mechanism for producing an initial crop cut and one or more subsequent dividing cuts of said shear on each piece, a rotary driving element normally disconnected from said control mechanism, means for imparting rotation to said element in the absence of material passing to the shear, and means responsive to the arrival of material at a; predetermined point for transferring the drive of said element to said material and for simultaneously connecting said control mechanism with said element.

6. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a shear for operation on successively-arrivingv elongated pieces of moving material, of shear control mechanism for producing an initial crop cut and one or more subsequent dividing cuts of said shear on each piece, means for holdin said control mechanism inoperative in the a sence of material passing to the shear, a rotary driving element normally disconnected from said control mechanism, means for, driving said rotary element in the absence of material passing to the shear,'means for renderin said driving means inoperative when material approaching the shear engages .frictionally with said element to rotate the latter by its forward travel and means for simultaneously releasing said holding means and connecting said control mechanism with said materialdriven rotary element.

7. In apparatus of theclass described, the combination with a shear for operation on successively-arriving elongated pieces of moving material, of control .mechanism adapted to procure the operationsof said ontrol mechanism for latter by its forward movement, and means for connecting said member, when so rotated by the material, with said control mechanism, to establish the drive of the latter by the forward travel of the stock.

8. In apparatus of theclass described, the

combinationwith a shear for operation onsuccessively-arriv ng' elongated pieces of;

moving material, of control mechanismfor said shear, operable to ro'cure an initial crop cut and one or more so sequent dividing cuts of said shear on each'piece, a rotary member in the path of the material to the shear, adapted to be driven by contact with the moving material,- a clutch connection normally operative to procure the rotation of said member approximating that of at a peripheral speed 7 the travel of sai material, means responsiye to the approach of moving material toward said member for rendering said clutch connection inoperative, thereby to transfer the drive of said 'member to said moving material, and

means operable. simultaneously with said transfer to clutch the material-drivenmember with said control mechanism, thereby to operate the latter in step with the travel of the material.

9. In apparatus of the class. described, the combination with a shear for operation on successively-arriving elongated pieces of movin material, of control mechanism for said s ear, operable to procure an initial crop cut and one or more subsequent dividing cuts of said shear ,on each piece, a rotary member in the path'of the material to the shear, adaptedto bedriven by contact with the moving material, a clutch connection normally operative to procure the rotation of saidmember at a peripheral speed approximating that of the travel of said material, a

means responsive to the ap roach of moving,

material toward .said mem r for rendering said clutch-connection inoperative, thereby to transfer the drive of said memberto said moving material, means operable simultaneously withsaid transfer to clutch the niaterial-driven member 'withsaid control mechanism, thereby to, operate the latter in step with the travel of, the material, and means responsive to passage of said materi'albeyond said member for restoring said'clutch connection and for unclutching said control mechanism from said member.

10.- In apparatus of the class described, the

combination, with a shear for operation on ing material with said member, to rotate the successively-arriving elongated pieces of moving material, of a rotary control device adapted at each revolution to produce a cutting operation of said shear, means for bold mg said control device inactive in the absence of material passing to the shear, a rotary driving element for said control device, and means responsive to the arrival of a piece of material at a predetermined point for establishing the drive of said element by said material and the drive of said control device by said element.

' trol device by said driving means.

12. In apparatus of the class described,

the combination with a shear for operation on successively-arriving pieces of moving material, of a rotary control device for sald shear adapted at each revolution to produce a cutting operation of said shear, a rotary driving member for said control .device, means for transferring the drive of said member to the moving material when the latter reaches a predetermined point in its approach to said shear, means for thereupon. connecting said driving member with said control device, and means for disconnectingsaid control device from said driving member upon the passage of said material beyond said predetermined point.

13. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a shear for operation upon successively-arriving pieces of moving material, of a rotary control device adapted at each revolution to procure a cutting operation of said shear, means for holding said controldevice inoperative in the absence of material approaching the shear, means-responsive to the arrival of a piece of material at a predetermined point for rotating said control de- V vice in step with the travel of said material,

and means responsive to the passage of said piece beyond said predetermined point for restoring said control device to a predetermined angular rest position.-

JOHN W. SHEPERDSON. 

